Israeli Judoka Reaches Round of 16 at Paris Olympics Following Algerian Opponent's Disqualification

Israeli judoka Tohar Butbul advanced to the round of 16 in the 2024 Paris Olympics (under 73 kg) after his Algerian opponent disqualified himself from the match. Messaoud Dris of Algeria was dropped from the judo competition on Sunday night, officially for missing weight, a day before he was scheduled to face Butbul.

The International Judo Federation (IJF) issued a brief statement declaring Butbul the winner by walkover. In the next round, Butbul will compete against Azerbaijan's reigning world champion, Hidayat Heydarov.

The Israeli delegation expressed their commitment to maintaining the integrity of the sport, stating, "We will continue the competition from a sporting perspective. This has no place in sports," as reported by Ynet.

This incident marks the second consecutive Olympics where an Algerian judoka has withdrawn before facing Butbul. In the Tokyo Olympics, Algeria’s Fethi Nourine withdrew to avoid a potential second-round matchup with Butbul, explicitly citing his support for "Palestine" as his reason. The IJF suspended Nourine and his coach, Amar Benikhlef, for 10 years, effectively ending Nourine’s judo career.

Over the years, numerous Muslim athletes from countries including Algeria, Iran, Syria, Tunisia, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Lebanon, Sudan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan have withdrawn from international competitions to avoid facing Israeli competitors.

In a notable case during the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Iranian judoka Arash Miresmaeili, then the world champion, deliberately failed his weigh-in to avoid competing against Israeli judoka Udi Wax. Miresmaeili stated, "Despite months of training and being in good shape, I refuse to fight against an Israeli out of empathy for the suffering of the Palestinian people. I’m not disappointed at all." His move was praised by Iranian authorities, who awarded him a $125,000 bonus, equivalent to that given to Olympic champions. An Iranian parliament spokesperson lauded Miresmaeili’s "brave decision" and acknowledged his "place in the hearts of Muslims."

Butbul's advancement underscores the intersection of sports and politics, highlighting ongoing tensions while affirming the spirit of competition. Share this article and subscribe to our newsletter for more updates on the Olympics and other sports news.